N.Korea missile launched from sub last week appears same model as last year’s -Japan minister

TOKYO (Reuters) – The ballistic missile North Korea launched final week seems to be the identical mannequin because the submarine-launched missile Pyongyang examined final October, Japanese Defence Minister Nobuo Kishi stated on Tuesday.

North Korea fired a ballistic missile from a submarine on Saturday, days earlier than the inauguration of recent South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden’s go to to South Korea and Japan.

“The missile launched this time seems to be the identical mannequin as the brand new submarine-launched missile fired on Oct. 19, 2021,” Kishi advised an everyday information convention.

“The string of missile launches whereas the invasion of Ukraine is below method is unacceptable,” Kishi stated.

North Korea final October test-fired a brand new, smaller ballistic missile from a submarine, a transfer that analysts stated may very well be geared toward extra rapidly fielding an operational missile submarine.

(Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka. Modifying by Gerry Doyle)